The historic scale of the destruction in Maui comes into focus. Republicans and Democrats react to the Hunter Biden special counsel. And Generation Zers embrace being labeled “haters.”
Here’s the biggest news you missed this weekend.
Maui fires the deadliest in modern U.S. history
The death toll in Maui rose to 93 early Sunday, officially making the wildfires the deadliest in modern U.S. history.
More than 2,000 buildings have been destroyed, hundreds remain without power and many of Lahaina’s historic landmarks are lost.
Hawaii Gov. Josh Green said the damage was estimated at close to $6 billion, and confirmed that officials were investigating why sirens failed to activate earlier. The source of the wildfire has not yet been officially identified, through Green noted that dry conditions followed by hurricane-level winds contributed to their spread.
Firefighting crews are continuing to extinguish flare-ups, while emergency efforts to get food, clothing and other essentials to many displaced residents are underway.
An iconic banyan tree that provided shade in the heart of Old Lahaina was badly scorched by fire, but it remains standing and could yet survive, offering a symbol of hope for the devastated communities.
Follow NBC News’ live coverage here.
Meet the Press
The appointment of a special counsel in the Hunter Biden investigation took Washington by surprise on Friday. Many Republicans expressed outrage, while Democrats close to President Biden worried about the impact on the 2024 election.
Former Vice President Mike Pence welcomed the appointment of David Weiss on “Meet the Press” Sunday, saying, “I am hopeful that special counsel Weiss will do his job without fear or favor.”
He also accused federal law enforcement officials of having pushed a “political agenda” under the Trump administration, and vowed to “clean house on the whole top floor of the Justice Department” if he is elected in 2024.
After Pence’s interview, Rep. Dean Phillips, a Minnesota Democrat, said the president’s image had been tainted by the investigation of his son.
Phillips said, “I don’t think the president is corrupt. I think the investigation will show that. But this is the important part: It’s the image, it’s what the news will do.”
Phillips is pushing for someone to primary Biden in the 2024 election, and is considering challenging the president himself. “People want to turn the page. I think that’s fair to say,” he said.
Asked by Chuck Todd who he would like to see challenge Biden, Phillips replied: “I would like to see a moderate governor, hopefully from the heartland, from one of the four states that Democrats will need.”
Wagner troops in Belarus fuel NATO tensions
Poland said this week it would move 10,000 troops to its border with Belarus, as Russia’s mercenary forces, who led the mutiny against President Vladimir Putin and fought in some of the war’s most grueling battles, are now helping to train Belarusian armed forces.
The Wagner Group’s presence and proximity to the borders of Poland and Lithuania, two NATO members on the alliance’s eastern border, has raised tensions with the West and its allies.
Poland’s ambassador to the United States, Marek Magierowski, told NBC News it was “imperative” for his country to not only defend itself but also to protect NATO’s eastern flank.
Politics in Brief
Bidenomics: President Joe Biden has been touring the country touting his economic policies, but has anyone noticed?
DeSantis heckled: Republican presidential candidates campaigned at the Iowa State Fair, where Ron DeSantis was dogged by protesters imploring him to return to Florida. While he spoke with voters Saturday, a plane flew overhead carrying a banner that read “Be likable, Ron!”
Ohio takeaways: For years abortion has been thought of as a bitterly partisan issue, but the results of last week’s Ohio referendum signal that Democrats aren’t the only ones in favor of abortion rights.
Culture & Trends
The haters are always gonna hate — except, lately, when it comes to being called a hater.
A viral clip of an upcoming song called “Haters Anthem,” by rock group Infinity Song, has become a sort of rallying cry for the more than 43,000 TikTokers who use the audio in their own videos to capture themselves embracing their inner hater.
Some hater-esque tendencies people confess to? Lying about thinking someone’s dog is cute, when in reality it’s “crusty,” or unliking every single post of someone who they discovered unfollowed them.
NBC News spoke with self-proclaimed haters who say they still have to be wary of boundaries when they make comments that could offend others.
In case you missed it
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